YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Jewish Laws and Thoughts
- Jewish Thought
- Subjects of Jewish Thougts
Translated by Hillel Fendel
Question: How can I believe in something I can't see?
Answer: I imagine you have heard of the classic 18th-century work Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just) by the Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. He begins another of his famous works, Derekh Hashem (The Way of G-d), with the fundamental obligation of a Jew to know the existence of G-d and to believe in Him. But isn't this a contradiction in terms? To know something is to be certain of it, such as when I know there is a cup on the table. But to believe something is much more iffy: If I say, "I believe I will pass tomorrow's math exam," I might be fairly confident about my mathematical skills, but I still cannot be 100% sure that the test won't be extra hard, or that I won't feel sick in the middle, etc. So how can we both believe and know??
Actually, we need both: Faith in G-d, emuna, requires intellectual knowledge as well. One must not only believe in G-d, but must also "know" Him, after delving into the matter and trying to understand it clearly. We can only do so up to a certain point, of course, but we are not exempt from setting out and trying to learn and know as much as possible.
But even that is not enough. For what if I make a mistake in my studies? What happens if my brain cannot sufficiently absorb or understand the material and the philosophical proofs? This is why we also need faith. We must look around at the world, at the complexities of Creation, see how G-d runs the world with Providence, and see His miracles, both hidden and revealed. We must contemplate the traditions we have from our ancestors, generation after generation, all the way up to our forefathers who received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. The combination of faith and knowledge is a necessity.
Of course, we cannot see G-d with our eyes – for we are His creations, flesh and blood, while He is not corporeal [with no shape or form or physical presence]. But we can "see" Him via our soul, by contemplating the above points – and this leads to belief.
Keep in mind that emuna is not an all-or-nothing affair. There are levels in emuna; he who believes more strongly is closer to G-d. Throughout our lives we are commanded to deepen our faith. The more we strengthen our faith via contemplation and the study of topics of emuna, our faith will be clearer. But it will always remain outside the framework of intellectual certainty – and this is how it must be. To "know" G-d exclusively would leave Him as something physical, without His spiritual aspects.
May we merit to believe in G-d and cleave to Him in the most complete manner possible, Amen!
Ed. note: It is well-known that we "believe" in many things that we cannot see, on various planes: We believe in molecules and atoms, we believe in love and happiness, we believe in thoughts and history and intelligence. None of these can be seen, yet we allow them to run our lives nonetheless.
Question: How can I believe in something I can't see?
Answer: I imagine you have heard of the classic 18th-century work Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just) by the Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. He begins another of his famous works, Derekh Hashem (The Way of G-d), with the fundamental obligation of a Jew to know the existence of G-d and to believe in Him. But isn't this a contradiction in terms? To know something is to be certain of it, such as when I know there is a cup on the table. But to believe something is much more iffy: If I say, "I believe I will pass tomorrow's math exam," I might be fairly confident about my mathematical skills, but I still cannot be 100% sure that the test won't be extra hard, or that I won't feel sick in the middle, etc. So how can we both believe and know??
Actually, we need both: Faith in G-d, emuna, requires intellectual knowledge as well. One must not only believe in G-d, but must also "know" Him, after delving into the matter and trying to understand it clearly. We can only do so up to a certain point, of course, but we are not exempt from setting out and trying to learn and know as much as possible.
But even that is not enough. For what if I make a mistake in my studies? What happens if my brain cannot sufficiently absorb or understand the material and the philosophical proofs? This is why we also need faith. We must look around at the world, at the complexities of Creation, see how G-d runs the world with Providence, and see His miracles, both hidden and revealed. We must contemplate the traditions we have from our ancestors, generation after generation, all the way up to our forefathers who received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. The combination of faith and knowledge is a necessity.
Of course, we cannot see G-d with our eyes – for we are His creations, flesh and blood, while He is not corporeal [with no shape or form or physical presence]. But we can "see" Him via our soul, by contemplating the above points – and this leads to belief.
Keep in mind that emuna is not an all-or-nothing affair. There are levels in emuna; he who believes more strongly is closer to G-d. Throughout our lives we are commanded to deepen our faith. The more we strengthen our faith via contemplation and the study of topics of emuna, our faith will be clearer. But it will always remain outside the framework of intellectual certainty – and this is how it must be. To "know" G-d exclusively would leave Him as something physical, without His spiritual aspects.
May we merit to believe in G-d and cleave to Him in the most complete manner possible, Amen!
Ed. note: It is well-known that we "believe" in many things that we cannot see, on various planes: We believe in molecules and atoms, we believe in love and happiness, we believe in thoughts and history and intelligence. None of these can be seen, yet we allow them to run our lives nonetheless.
Rabbi Hagai Lerrer
A Rabbi in Beit El
G-d's leadership in the world Is G-d being "kind" if He's working toward a specific end goal?
Translated and edited by Hillel Fendel
Subjects of Jewish Thougts What Happens After We Die?
About Heaven- Hell- Revival of the Dead- Reincarnation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
